Full and Partial Dentures

An important step in maintaining a healthy smile is to replace missing teeth. When teeth are missing, the remaining teeth can change position, drifting into the open space. Crooked teeth result and the increased risk of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease can lead to the loss of additional teeth.

A removable partial denture fills in the space created by missing teeth and completes your smile. It consists of replacement teeth attached to a gum-colored plastic base which attaches to your existing teeth with clasps. Removable partial denture helps you properly chew food, improves speech and prevents a sagging face by providing support for lips and cheeks.

A full upper denture is used when all teeth from your upper jawbone are missing. It is held in place by the suction created between your own natural gum tissue and the denture.

A full lower denture is used when all teeth from your lower jawbone are missing. Unfortunately, a lower denture is much more difficult to hold in place than an upper denture because there is no natural suction between a lower denture and the gums of the lower jaw. Fortunately, dental implants offer a solution to this limitation. Implants can be placed and used as attachments to firmly secure a lower denture into place, preventing movement while speaking or chewing. For more information on implants, click here.